Platts just redefined European oil pricing, and it did it with a single line: Russian-crude-derived fuels are out. Beginning Dec. 15 for cargoes and Jan. 2 for barges, any diesel or other oil product that can be traced back to Russian crude will simply not count in the assessments that shape benchmark prices across the region. If that sounds wonky, you’re not alone. This is a material shift in how one of the most influential price setters on the planet defines supply. Historically, Platts has been product-focused. If you offered a cargo of…

The world is filled with financial promises, including loans, pensions, and even the market value of stocks. So far, the system seems to be working, but in a finite world, it is hard to believe that the system will work indefinitely. Governments can create money simply by adding more promises, but they cannot create goods and services in a similar fashion. We know that actual physical materials are needed to make the goods and services that people depend upon. Energy supplies are particularly important in making goods and services because,…

The machinery that powers the modern world, from industrial assembly lines to the cooling systems of data centers, is undergoing a massive, capital-intensive overhaul. According to a new analysis by Allied Market Research, the global electric motor market is projected to reach $373.9 billion by 2032, nearly tripling its 2020 valuation of $142.1 billion. The data reveals a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.5% from 2023 to 2032. But beyond the growth percentages, the report outlines a structural change in how the global economy consumes energy. …